It sounds like a franchise tag is coming for Houston Texans edge defender Jadeveon Clowney. Sources currently with the Texans say that they can absorb an expensive 1-year tag on Clowney. Houston staffers feel that the team is in win-now mode and has a championship window for the 2019 season, but losing Clowney would be a big blow to hopes for winning the Super Bowl next year. Texans sources say they also want to re-sign safety Tyrann Mathieu and hope to have him back in Houston next season.

While Clowney is likely to see the franchise tag, sources were not optimistic that Clowney would be signed to a long-term contract and said the franchise tag was probably only an option for one season given the cost. A long-term contract with Clowney probably would have been executed by former general manager Rick Smith. Smith had a string extensions for the team’s first-round picks. Duane Brown (2008), Brian Cushing (2009), Kareem Jackson (2010), J.J. Watt (2011), Whitney Mercilus (2012) and DeAndre Hopkins (2013) were all signed to an extension before their rookie contracts ended. Clowney is the next one up, but under the new regime, it sounds like a multi-year extension is less likely. Houston sources say the cost could be more than what current general manager Brian Gaine is willing to pay.

Sources also said that the relationship between Clowney and head coach Bill O’Brien is not necessarily conducive to either side wanting to do a long-term deal. Of course, the public statements are to the contrary because they have to be for the images of both the player and organization. The Texans feel that tagging Clowney is probably the only way to keep him. If Clowney were to become an unrestricted free agent, they think he could easily choose to sign elsewhere, like other recent desirable free agents A.J. Bouye or Brandon Brooks. The Texans tried to re-sign both Bouye and Brooks before losing them to Jacksonville and Philadelphia, respectively. Some with Houston feel that O’Brien’s ego and coaching style caused those veterans to prefer to move on and that Clowney would leave as well if he is not tagged.

Even though the Texans sound like they are likely to tag Clowney, they feel they do need another edge rusher. That is because Whitney Mercilus showed some signs of decline in 2018, Clowney could easily only be back for one more year, and the team felt that J.J. Watt showed some signs of aging when he played at end in 2018. Sources felt that Watt was very effective when moving inside to the three-technique and hope to convince him to play more snaps there in 2019. Thus, the Texans would ideally add another edge rusher despite those big-name veterans being projected to return for 2019.

Of course, there were other problems that led to the Texans getting bounced from the playoffs and dropping to a 1-3 postseason record under Bill O’Brien. Sources with Houston say the team has enough money to tag Clowney while also spending to upgrade the roster’s weaknesses along the offensive line and at cornerback. The Texans also have an extra second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft thanks to the Duane Brown trade from 2017. They feel they are in the hunt for the Lombardi Trophy next year and sound like they are firmly in win-now mode this offseason.

Just my two cents but I'd worry about replacing Clowney and Watt 31 YOA going into 2020 draft although we could pick up really good OLBs in Sutton Smith and Maxx Crosby rounds five and 6/7 respectfully 2019.

PFF and Over the Cap project Jadeveon Clowney as this offseason's most expensive free agent. Taking the franchise tag off the table for a second, if you were GM of the Texans do you sign off on this deal or let him walk?

$135M Total value would be T-4th with Aaron Donald & Matthew Stafford
$22.5M avg/year would be T-11th with Aaron Donald
$85M guaranteed would be 2nd behind Matt Ryan($94M) and just ahead of Kirk Cousins($84M)

He does not get Mack or Donald money in my organisation. Those two guys are a level above him, JDC is good, not elite. Stupid plays as well even in street clothes, so he does not always have his head in the game and his effort is inconsistent. 5 uears, $18m per is where I would feel better. We cannot let everyone walk. Tag and trade if I could get a top end OT or CB. The drop off to Merci/Duke would be there, but overall would be better

He does not get Mack or Donald money in my organisation. Those two guys are a level above him, JDC is good, not elite. Stupid plays as well even in street clothes, so he does not always have his head in the game and his effort is inconsistent. 5 uears, $18m per is where I would feel better. We cannot let everyone walk. Tag and trade if I could get a top end OT or CB. The drop off to Merci/Duke would be there, but overall would be better

PFF and Over the Cap project Jadeveon Clowney as this offseason's most expensive free agent. Taking the franchise tag off the table for a second, if you were GM of the Texans do you sign off on this deal or let him walk?

$135M Total value would be T-4th with Aaron Donald & Matthew Stafford
$22.5M avg/year would be T-11th with Aaron Donald
$85M guaranteed would be 2nd behind Matt Ryan($94M) and just ahead of Kirk Cousins($84M)

Aaron Donald:
6 years, $135M; $22.5M/year; $50M guaranteed

Khalil Mack:
6 years, $141M; $23.5M/year; $60M guaranteed

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NO! He gets tagged and traded. The Texans could roll the dice like they did with Cushing and really wind up behind the cap eight-ball if he doesn't stay healthy. Sorry, I'll take a package of picks for Clowney.

NO! He gets tagged and traded. The Texans could roll the dice like they did with Cushing and really wind up behind the cap eight-ball if he doesn't stay healthy. Sorry, I'll take a package of picks for Clowney.

This is Houston. You know how this will work. If Clowney stays, he'll have injury problems and we'll all be second guessing this to hell. If Clowney leaves, he'll be an all pro terror for someone else and we'll all be second guessing this to hell.

Wow, hope Texans are not the idiots that give Clowney 80+ guaranteed, shouldn't go over 40 guaranteed and not more then 15m/yr. Clowney is not anywhere close to Donald or Mack as comps. Clowney isn't half the player Hunter is for the Vikings and he only got 14m/yr with 40 guaranteed. What dumbassery.

Would try to trade Clowney to Falcons for Beasley and a 3rd. Both are better fits switching teams, Clowney needs a space linebacker playing behind him, and Beasley needs to rush the passer standing up the majority of the time.

Personally I would trade him if the deal was at all good. He's been good but I think he was expected to be Watt 2.0 and to me he has not lived up to his talent. I found it very telling that he had his best year when Watt went down and he got to be the number 1 guy. I really think its that he doesn't want to play second fiddle to Watt, and in Houston he always will, so when Watt is on the field he plays well but doesn't push the boundaries like he would if he was in that number 1 spot light.

I think if we trade him we could get great value out of him to help us. I fully expect him to go to another team and be a beast there if he is brought in as the franchise defense guy. Its why I wouldn't trade him in division unless it was an offer to good to refuse. As much as I hate the thought of another team getting his best I just don't think we are ever going to get it as long as he shares a line up with Watt and I'd rather keep Watt even with the injuries. So since we aren't going to get his best lets get value for him and use that to meet other needs.

Edit: Let me clarify they may not have expected him to be like Watt in style and type of player but they expected him to put up similar stats. Basically the idea was you can't stop both of them and it was suppose to take the entire O line just for those two.